Macron enacts Duplomb law following partial scrutiny by the Constitutional Council
The reintroduction of acetamiprid, a neonicotinoid pesticide, in France was blocked in August 2025, following a decision by the French Constitutional Council. The Council struck down the key provision of the "Duplomb law" allowing the return of the pesticide, upholding the 2018 ban due to its known harmful effects on biodiversity and potential risks to human health.
The Duplomb law, passed by the French parliament in July 2025, aimed to reauthorize the use of acetamiprid, primarily to support farmers growing crops like beet and hazelnuts who argued they lacked alternatives against pests and faced economic disadvantage compared to European competitors where the chemical remains legal.
However, the law provoked widespread public opposition, including a student-led petition that gathered more than two million signatures against the pesticide’s return. Concerns were raised over its effects on pollinator populations, broader biodiversity, and public health.
The French Constitutional Council ruled the Duplomb law's pesticide provision unconstitutional, confirming that neonicotinoids like acetamiprid impose risks incompatible with the right to live in a balanced and healthy environment. This decision reflects a broader global trend of increased regulatory scrutiny on neonicotinoids, emphasizing ecological protection over short-term agricultural gains.
The ruling has significant implications for the agrochemical industry, pushing investment toward more sustainable and biopesticide alternatives. Despite the blockage in France, acetamiprid remains authorized at the European Union level, creating a divergence in regulations that French agricultural officials acknowledge may threaten some sectors.
French health and agriculture officials have called for a European-level reassessment of acetamiprid’s impacts on human health to resolve this conflict and better protect biodiversity and public health across the EU. The Duplomb law was adopted by Parliament with the support of Macronists, LR, and the far right. A petition calling for the repeal of the Duplomb law has collected over 2.1 million signatures.
The Constitutional Council has censored the Duplomb law, but validated administrative simplifications for large-scale farms and the construction of water storage structures for agricultural purposes. The measures adopted must not allow withdrawal from inert aquifers and must be contestable before a judge. French Health Minister Yannick Neuder and Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard have expressed concerns over the Council of State's decision, stating that it maintains a divergence between French law and European law and could lead to unfair competition.
In summary, the attempt to reintroduce acetamiprid in France was halted due to strong evidence and legal recognition of its negative impacts on biodiversity and human health. The ruling reinforces France’s commitment to environmental health in agriculture regulation. The decision also signals increased regulatory risks for neonicotinoid pesticides and shifts toward sustainable pest control methods in European agriculture.
[1] Le Monde, "Le Conseil constitutionnel abroge la loi Duplomb", 12 August 2025, https://www.lemonde.fr/politiques/article/2025/08/12/le-conseil-constitutionnel-abroge-la-loi-duplomb_6069738_3224.html [2] The Guardian, "France's Duplomb law: a victory for bees and biodiversity, or a step too far?", 13 August 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/13/frances-duplomb-law-a-victory-for-bees-and-biodiversity-or-a-step-too-far [3] Science, "French Constitutional Council Strikes Down Duplomb Law", 12 August 2025, https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2025/08/french-constitutional-council-strikes-down-duplomb-law [4] France Info, "Plus de 2 millions de signatures pour le retrait de l'acétamipride", 5 August 2025, https://info.francetvinfo.fr/environnement/20250805-plus-de-2-millions-de-signatures-pour-le-retrait-de-l-acetamipride_3858278.html [5] European Commission, "Regulatory Status of Acetamiprid", 1 January 2025, https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/protection/pesticides/regulation/approval_en/approval_en_3_en.htm
- The French Constitutional Council's decision to block the reintroduction of acetamiprid is part of a broader trend in environmental science, highlighting the increasing regulatory scrutiny on neonicotinoids, with a focus on ecological protection over short-term agricultural gains.
- The ruling also upholds the 2018 ban on acetamiprid due to its known harmful effects on biodiversity and potential risks to human health, aligning with the global health-and-wellness movement that prioritizes the right to live in a balanced and healthy environment.
- The French Constitutional Council's ruling on the Duplomb law has significant implications for policy-and-legislation and politics, as it reinforces France’s commitment to environmental health in agriculture regulation and signals increased regulatory risks for neonicotinoid pesticides.
- The ongoing controversy surrounding acetamiprid's regulatory status extends beyond France, as the chemical remains authorized at the European Union level. This divergence in regulations has raised concerns among French health and agriculture officials, who have called for a European-level reassessment of acetamiprid’s impacts on human health and a more coordinated approach for protecting biodiversity and public health across the EU.
